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The Nordland Saga
The Nordland Saga is a living history of Nordreich by Striderwannabe. Introduction: Why Write History When Nordreich was reestablished in May 2009 it was a gamble with no promised payoff. Having taken many twists and turns throughout its time in Cyber Nations, Nordreich was not particularly well liked or respected by many on the modern Planet Bob. Its legacy had been demonized by newcomers who only understood what was told to them by second or third parties and not by members of the Reich themselves. It was widely suggested that Nordreich travel a new path to rediscover its success in Cyber Nations. So why write a history we may better forget? The truth is we cannot forget. To do so would be a greater injustice than the sum of all unjust actions undertaken by Nordreich and some of its members throughout its history. The challenge of the present, for me and my fellow members, is to remember the past without falling into its pitfalls. This document was published as an all-uniting and all-encompassing history of Nordreich and its members. It was written primarily to educate all current and future Nordlanders of their legacy, and to inform on the history so often recalled by those who were there to witness it. By writing our history, we grant ourselves foundation upon which we build our future glory. Pre-October 2006: Early Movements The early Germanic movements began in the spring of 2006, with the formation of the Alliance of Axis Nations (AoAN) in Cyber Nations. While this event is one that may not be taken as a major step in the history of Nordland, it holds the distinction of being one of the earliest of its formative events. This history lies more directly in the hands of two alliances, formed in the summer of the same year. The Prussian Federation (PrF) was the first of the two catalysts, established on July 19th, 2006. As a splinter state from the Alliance of Axis Nations, it was founded by individuals who cited irreconcilable differences of critical opinion with the dictator of the Axis. It is very important and interesting to note that the Federation was formed as a Republic, without leanings of strong authoritarianism. In this, it has come to be an exception within the greater Nordland movement, and is noteworthy not for its failures, but rather for this dynamic which helped to shape the monarchic structure seen in Nordland today. The Volksleitung (VL), which was founded by Sigmund Ceowulf, Magnus Nordir, and John C Calhoun on August 12th, 2006, was a self-proclaimed break-away the greater Axis as well, leaving over concerns of the alliance’s well-being and its direction. The Volksleitung ran itself according to a policy of European cultural and ethnic nationalism. One such offspring of this policy was the Volksleitung Volkskommissariat (VLVK), a foreign legion of non-Germanic member states who retained a distinct identity and yet enjoyed equal treatment as their Germanic counterparts. Brotherhood was found on common ground between both alliances, though the common goals of each differed by some margin. The Prussian Federation, founded on a system of democratic process for all executive offices, gave itself towards forming a Germanic Republic as a sharp alternative to the authoritarianism found in the Axis. Ambition to create a unified Germanic homeland was not one strongly held by the Federation; rather, the ambition for change from the status quo the Axis had introduced was predominant. The ambition found in the Volksleitung was equal but dedicated to other means. The Volksleitung declared itself a Germanic alliance, with Magnus Nordir, who would later become the second Kaiser of Nordreich, stating, "Our ultimate goal is true socialism and brotherhood for all Germanic peoples throughout the Cyberverse." This platform was positive in its consolidation of power under the coalition formed between the Volksleitung and the Prussian Federation. These two alliances found brotherhood in their common ideals, and the mutual tension between themselves and the Axis. Diplomatic cooperation came to a head on October 13th, 2006 with the foundation of the Nordreich. October 2006: The Pre-kaiser period Nordreich resulted from a merger between the Prussian Federation and the Volksleitung. These two alliances were the primer Germanic nationalist alliances in the Cyberverse at the time, and held a close bond due to similar histories in the game between the leaders. Following lengthy discussions, the union was made official on October 13th, 2006 and announced to the world the following day. The notable figures involved in the merger discussions are outlined below: Kaiser Martens – Volksleitung Triumvirate Striderwannabe – Chancellor of the Prussian Federation Joerg Goldskywalker – Founder of the Prussian Federation Emperor B – Minister of the Prussian Federation Fredrich Meinhoff – Minister of the Prussian Federation Magnus Nordir – Volksleitung Triumvirate Sigmund Ceowulf – Volksleitung Triumvirate The new alliance was received well and quickly reached 100 members. On October 24th, Nordreich signed its first military pact with the New Polar Order, establishing its status as an ally of the Orders in early Cyber Nations history. The Nordreich armed forces upon the alliance’s foundation were scattered and largely relics of the Volksleitung military. In late October, a reorganization effort spearheaded by Wartides14 overhauled the outdated system into an early version of the modern Nordreich military. On October 28th the Wehrmacht was declared fit for service and its officers were sworn in, with Wartides14 as the head of all forces. On October 19th, Nordreich engaged in its first armed conflict by declaring war on the Sons of Liberty (SoL) alliance. Citing SoL aggression against non-leftist and nationalist nations for “ideological differences” Nordreich forced the surrender and disbandment of SoL the following day and victory was declared. This conflict, named the “October Massacre”, marked the first of several conflicts between the Nordreich and the many Leftist alliances of the Cyberverse. November 2006 - December 2006: The First Martens Era The October Massacre revealed much internal inefficiency in the structure of Nordreich; in an effort to streamline the alliance, the office of Kaiser]] was created as the ruling monarch of the alliance. On November 3rd, Kaiser Martens was crowned as the first Kaiser of Nordreich; his role as a mediator during the merger talks won him popularity in both the Prussian Federation and his native Volksleitung, making him the common choice of the membership and government. Weeks into Martens’ rule, however, tensions with the Left once again came to a head. Upon its formation, Nordreich had adopted the Maroon team and quickly established a place for itself among the other alliances of the sphere. On November 14th the International Communist Party (ICP), at the time the premier leftist alliance, announced its decision to relocate to the Maroon sphere. In response, several Maroon alliances joined Nordreich in demanding that ICP rescind the decision. In addition to this ultimatum, Nordreich published an extensive intelligence report that suggested ICP intended to undermine the Reich’s position in Maroon and take over the team senate. Additional information proved the existence of severe anti-Nordreich sentiment within the alliance which was fueling the decision to move to Maroon. Tensions broke out into war soon after a prominent ICP member resigned from his alliance and launched a nuclear attack against Deutschland, Kaiser Martens' nation. Citing the nuking of its Kaiser and the information in the intelligence report as reason, a Nordreich-led coalition invaded the International Communist Party on the evening of November 14th, 2006. The ICP gained some support from allies and sympathizers and the conflict quickly escalated to include non-Maroon alliances. The war waged until November 16th until unconditional peace was declared with the ICP; this quick end was encouraged by the threat of a global war due to additional alliances’ plans to enter against either side. The “Maroon War” was a tactical victory for Nordreich; the International Communist Party met the demands of Nordreich and their Maroon allies and relocated to the Pink team. After the war, Nordreich made two significant decisions in its foreign affairs. The first of these was the Northern Defense Front (NDF), a tripartite defense pact between Nordreich, the Maroon Defense Coalition (MDC), and the United Global Order (UGO) signed on the 24th of November. The group quickly grew to include twelve alliances; new signatories were quickly and haphazardly accepted in fear of growing tensions between the separate political factions in the game. The NDF failed a mere 44 days after its creation, due to growing too large, too quickly. On December 11th Nordreich announced a protectorate treaty with the Imperial Cabal of Nationalists (ICON). This treaty was the first protectorate agreement in recorded history. ICON eventually joined Nordreich altogether, bringing several members who would rise to prominence within the Reich. It was December 20th, 2006 and the world was quickly heading towards a global conflict. Nordreich’s role in this conflict was not yet fully realized, but Kaiser Martens announced that he would temporarily be relieved of the throne by Magnus Nordir, ex-Volksleitung Triumvirate and Riksbeskytter (second to the Kaiser). January 2007: The Nordir Interlude The early days of 2007 delivered Nordreich into one of Cyber Nations's most memorable and humorous historical incidents. A Nordreich propaganda video which used the real-life Norwegian national anthem “Ja, Vi Elsker” for in-game use was flagged by a Norwegian newspaper (the Aftenposten) as “Nazi propaganda”. The claims were based on nothing concrete, most players appreciated the whole hilarity of the situation, and the affair was quickly discontinued by the Norwegian press and government. The “Norway Affair,” however, reached many websites outside of Cyber Nations and drew in thousands of new players. Hundreds of these players were from the popular website Fark.com, who formed the Farkistan alliance, the primary catalyst in the next global war. The world was quickly swept into war with the invasion of Farkistan by GOONS in early January. Treaty obligations on both sides created a world wide conflict involving the Initiative power bloc and the newly formed League coalition; Nordreich was not obligated to enter on either side. On January 11th, Kaiser Nordir announced the cancellation of all Non-Aggression Pacts with those alliances fighting against the Initiative. The following day, the Nordreich invaded the Libertarian Socialist Federation (LSF) and the Order of Defensive Security (ODS) for reasons of “bandwagoning” against the Initiative. Nordreich involved itself as a matter of honor. The New Polar Order and GOONS had fought alongside Nordreich in the Maroon War, a conflict which was not resolved entirely to their liking. Kaiser Nordir stated that this declaration of war against those fighting the New Polar Order and GOONS was a repayment of the “blood debt” owed to them since last November. During the conflict, Nordreich was accepted into the Initiative as a member, claiming a spot as a real world power. Nordreich’s performance in the Second Great War was exemplary; ODS was destroyed to the point of disbandment within 24 hours and all other enemies suffered significant damage. On January 14th, 2007 Nordreich’s role in the Second Great War ended; Martens returned from his leave of absence and reclaimed the throne peacefully and proclaimed victory on all fronts. January 2007 - May 2007: The Second Martens Era The months following the Second Great War were times of great advancement for Nordreich. As a member of the Initiative, the alliance enjoyed great political prestige and signed several treaties, the most significant of which brought the Finnish alliance “Peliplaneetta” (now known as the Finnish Cooperation Organization) into Nordreich’s sphere of influence as a military ally. In early March, Nordreich took a global stance on Anti-Fascist actions being committed by various leftist alliances, most notably the Libertarian Socialist Federation (LSF). Leviathan XIII, former ICON member and Nordreich’s Reichsmarschall (head of the military) at the time, declared on March 8th that Nordreich would not tolerate attacks that were all-too similar to the ideologically charged raids committed by the Sons of Liberty last October, based purely on a nation's perceived ideology. The following day, on March 9th, a strongly anti-Nordreich LSF member nuked Leviathan XIII and Nordreich Minister of Propaganda Humanophage. His actions were lauded by the greater leftist community, LSF primarily, and provocation of Nordreich continued. On March 16th, Nordreich, along with a coalition of three allies, declared war against the Libertarian Socialist Federation. Mere hours before the invasion was launched, LSF announced the creation of a defense bloc involving a significant amount of strength, the Internationale. While it has never been confirmed, it is widely believed that this bloc was created as a direct response to the incoming Nordreich invasion. Whatever the case, the Nordreich offensive took many in the pact by surprise, and only one of the other six pact members came to LSF’s defense immediately. The “St. Patrick’s Day War” was brought to a quick end on March 20th. By the time the war ended, only four of the six Internationale members were involved; two, the Socialist Workers Front (SWF; the result of a recent merger involving the International Communist Party) and the Euphorian Commonwealth (EC) joined after two days of attempting to mediate for LSF’s peace. LSF was soundly defeated and surrendered, and the Internationale power bloc dissolved under the circumstances. The St. Patrick’s Day War was ended only three days after it began. Nordreich had received notification of rising global tensions and requests to prepare for another world war as a member of the Initiative. On March 19th, several members of the Initiative declared war on the Global Alliance and Treaty Organization (GATO) and the Third Great War began. Nordreich was not immediately involved. On March 23rd, the Socialist Workers Front (SWF) declared a pre-emptive strike on Nordreich. However, the Reich and its allies were prepared; merely six minutes following the SWF declaration of war, the forces of Nordreich, the Finnish Cooperation Organization (FCO), and the Syndicate (Syn) launched a total blitzkrieg against the enemy nations. The SWF attack was a complete failure, and the alliance began losing strength quickly. Three days later, on March 26th, several former members of the Sons of Liberty (SoL) reformed the alliance and declared total, nuclear war against Nordreich. Citing reasons including the Reich’s actions during and since the October Massacre and massive violence against the Left in general, these individuals inflicted very minor damage and were the last gasp of a dying order of the hard-line Left in Cyber Nations. On April 12th, the Socialist Workers Front (SWF) declared its disbandment having suffered tremendous damage and irreparable internal disarray. On April 14th, Nordreich declared total victory over its primary opponent in the war and announced the beginning of Projekt Germania, an extensive economic growth program. The Third Great War marks a momentous turn in Nordreich’s history. The Socialist Workers Front, preceded by the International Communist Party, was the primary political opponent of Nordreich. Great War III effectively ended the Cold War between the two alliances, with Nordreich as the victor. During the Third Great War, Nordreich also fought a short skirmish with the National Alliance of Artic Nations (NAAC) per treaty obligations with the New Polar Order. The Reich’s soldiers also saw action on several other minor fronts, as requested by the Initiative and its allies. May 2007: The Fall Following its victory in the Second Great War, Nordreich was devastated by internal divisions. Governmental meetings were plagued with arguments between those who wanted to promote more Out-Of-Character (OOC) freedom of expression within the alliance and those who wanted to censor extreme ideologies. On May 1st, Leviathan XIII announced the expulsion and subsequent decree of destruction of two of Nordreich’s oldest and most prominent members, Sigmund Ceowulf (former Volksleitung leader and long time Triumvirate member of Nordreich) and Humanophage (Nordreich Minister of Propaganda). Shortly thereafter, Kaiser Martens issued a statement that he and his government had been manipulated by Leviathan XIII, claiming that he had been led down a path that advocated witch hunts and extreme measures. In the statement, Martens apologized to Humanophage and Sigmund for the actions. However, the disarray caused by the whole affair was tremendous; the Nordreich forums had been shut down, and the membership of Nordreich was in utter confusion given the circumstances. On May 2nd, Nordreich officially fell with the resignation of Kaiser Martens. As his final decree Martens withdrew his alliance from the Initiative and called for all loyal to him to follow him out of Nordreich. Despite the efforts of a few, Nordreich was largely abandoned; those who remained were attacked and eventually destroyed by a few of Nordreich’s former enemies. It is easy to ask and wonder how such a union and brotherhood could have broken in such tragedy. The blood of the Reich was on many hands, included some who had with the same hands signed it into existence in October of 2006. There is no simple answer to the question of “why”. The events of May 2007 are a matter of historical circumstance, in which several specific pressures and events coincided to form the outcome that came about. These situational forces are explained with more elaboration in “Downfall”, a historical essay written by Striderwannabe for that purpose. May 2007 - July 2007: The Earlier Norden Verein Era Note: A more detailed, Norden Verein-centric history may be found on the Norden Verein Cyber Nations Wiki page. Two distinct groups of former Nordreich members formed. Those who did not agree with the actions of Martens sought to salvage their alliance by forming the Western Imperium and instating Magnus Nordir as their Kaiser. Those who had followed Martens, including most of the government and military command of Nordreich, formed the Norden Verein on May 5th, 2007. The Western Imperium was quickly criticized by Nordreich’s former enemies and some of its former allies and found itself almost immediately under assault. It faded away shortly thereafter but a few individuals continued to engage in activities to protect its members from harm. Throughout its first month, the Norden Verein reestablished most of Nordreich’s severed treaties. On June 3rd, Martens announced the establishment of the Hanseatic League as the first protector-protectorate bloc in Cyber Nations history. On June 5th, the Norden Verein was attacked without any warning by the Federation of Armed Nations (FAN). A founding member of the Initiative and a former Nordreich ally, FAN cited the anniversary of D-Day as the reasons for the attacks which caused widespread anarchy and destruction. The conflict was brought to a quick halt a mere two hours later, with the New Pacific Order (NPO) declaring that Norden Verein had been formed under their protection. This declaration was widely debated, having only been mentioned by a Pacifican officer in the Norden Verein formation thread and not in any binding treaty. The support was real though, and FAN was forced to offer a white peace before the conflict could expand. This event came to be known as "Operation Overlord”, and was one of the reasons cited for the later VietFAN Conflict. In early July, former members of the International Communist Party (ICP) and the Socialist Workers Front (SWF) approached Kaiser Martens regarding an ICP reformation. A verbal non-aggression agreement was given, and on July 1st the new International Communist Party was announced to the world. Shortly thereafter, however, the Golden Sabres alliance (GS) informed the Norden Verein of their plans to attack and dismantle this new entity. Kaiser Martens, sensing an opportunity to fight an old rival, aligned the Verein with Golden Sabres and on July 5th both alliances issued a declaration of war on the reformed ICP. Controversy surrounded the alleged promise of non-aggression given by Kaiser Martens, and several foreign powers denounced the actions of Norden Verein and Golden Sabres. The war ended on July 7th with the forced disbandment of the International Communist Party, a defeat which left several on the CN Left with bitterness for years to come. August 2007 - September 2007: The Striderwannabe Accession On July 27th, Martens officially stepped down as Kaiser of the Norden Verein and appointed Striderwannabe as his successor. In early August, as the new Kaiser announced his government, the alliance also surpassed 2 million nation strength. This achievement was a major psychological victory for many, as it had been the peak strength of Nordreich before it disbanded. During the month of August, the world found itself on the brink of another major conflict. Tensions between factions in the Initiative were boiling over, and by early September, war was imminent. Shortly before the first shots were fired, the Norden Verein signed a defensive pact with the New Polar Order (NpO), which was quickly finding itself at odds with the Goons Order of Neutral Shoving (GOONS). Finding itself part of a quickly growing coalition of leaders, Norden Verein prepared for war. Kaiser Striderwannabe volunteered the alliance to be among those firing the first shots of the war and September 10th the alliance declared war upon GOONS. This was among the first actions of the Unjust War. The Norden Verein played a crucial role in the conflict, suffering several counterattacks from the allies of GOONS. Perceived as a weak link in the coalition chain, its enemies were surprised to find little weakness in the Verein military structure. Due to the leadership of the military command, and despite having sub-par monetary reserves, the alliance fought and forced the surrender of a combined force two times greater than their own, including the RnR alliance, whom the Verein fought without support. As the conflict drew to a close, losses for the Norden Verein included 400,000 nation strength, an amount which was barely reconciled by war reparations. In the final days of the Unjust War, Striderwannabe announced that Martens would once again assume control of the alliance as Kaiser. On September 19th the power change was made official and the Norden Verein ended its role in the Unjust Path War. October 2007: The Later Verein Era The LSF-NoV War The Norden Verein emerged from the Unjust War battered but victorious. For many, it was a sign that the old military pride of Nordreich had finally found a new home and that the alliance’s fortune could only improve from that point. After the war’s end, several advancements were made in the foreign affairs of Norden Verein, including treaties of defense with new allies who were impressed with the military tenacity displayed during the conflict. In early October, however, tensions with the Left once again heightened. Nuclear rogue attacks on a senior member and alleged spying of the Libertarian Socialist Federation (LSF) within the Norden Verein prompted Kaiser Martens to declare total war on the alliance on October 2nd. What began was the second-longest war in Cyber Nations history, lasting just around 204 days until it ended. The Autumn Crisis In the midst of the NoV-LSF War, two decisive events took place which are collectively known. The first was a major exodus of Verein military command; citing unjust treatment of the military officers and a lack of understanding between themselves and the greater government, most of the Verein’s Feldmarschalls and General Staff exited the alliance and formed the Sons of Muspel on October 31st. This was the first time since the Fall that a major schism had occurred, and it was one which crippled the alliance. Following the Sons of Muspel exodus, foreign pressure, mainly from the New Pacific Order to expel two of the Verein’s most senior members began. The first, Wartides14, had rejoined the alliance to help it cope with the Sons of Muspel exodus. The second was Kaiser Martens himself. Both had made comments which were publicly posted, exaggerated, and subsequently ridiculed as offensive and proof of an unwanted presence in Norden Verein. Following an effective ultimatum, Wartides14 was expelled. In response, he and a handful of senior Nordlanders declared a list of grievances outlining the arrogance displayed by the New Pacific Order in discussions regarding his expulsion. Finally stating that “we never got to properly thank the NPO for the pressures they put on NoR leadership to disband” he declared nuclear war on the New Pacific Order, titled Fall Gerichtigkeit, on November 18th. Despite efforts to isolate the uprising and prove good faith, the Norden Verein lost most of their foreign support and many treaties were cancelled. On the heels of Fall Gerechtigkeit a private comment of Kaiser Martens was made public. The comment was taken as racist in nature, and what followed was a massive public outcry for the Kaiser to resign from his position. On November 23rd it was announced that Martens both resigned his post and Norden Verein altogether, claiming that his continued presence would only harm the alliance. Striderwannabe was once again appointed Kaiser. The Fallout The end result of the Autumn Crisis was absolute devastation to the officer ranks of Norden Verein, the loss of almost all foreign support, and a government barely establishing order within the alliance. Member activity was at an all-time low, and the Norden Verein lost approximately a third of its total nation strength and members. The war with LSF raged on, however, and the Norden Verein slowly gained a tactical victory as their enemy was forced to enter peace mode and cease effective resistance. Following the Autumn Crisis, Norden Verein was in limbo. Finding itself more and more isolated because of the efforts of detractors, the alliance only sustained itself through internal operations. Tensions with the Sons of Muspel cooled, though, and an understanding was formed between the two alliances. While the union was not made solid again, brothers could once again associate with each other freely. December 2007 - April 2008: The Reunion Discussions Sometime in late December 2007, Nemhauser, a respected member of the Nordreich community, established the Nordreich Bloodlines forum. It was the first time the Nordreich name had been invoked since May, and its stated aim was to bring former members back together for the purpose of reconciliation and, eventually, possible reunification. It was the first time since the Fall that people of the alienated factions involved conversed with each other, and the forum's membership included high-ranking and long-term members of the Norden Verein, the Sons of Muspel, and the League of the Right, the micro-alliance composed of former Western Imperium members and others who did not leave Nordreich with Kaiser Martens. Serious discussion and planning began about a potential Reunion under the Nordreich banner, though the talks were cut short by the events which followed. May 2008 – August 2008: Fall Helsing With the rest of the world, both the Norden Verein and Sons of Muspel found themselves at odds with the powers of the day. Mounting rumors circulated about both alliances harboring dangerous ideologues, one of the factors which caused the Sons of Muspel's disbandment on April 15th, 2008, whereupon many former members re-united with the Norden Verein. On May 10th, an enormous coalition of alliances led by the Phoenix Federation (TPF) of the Continuum, the largest and most influential power bloc of the time, declared war on Norden Verein; the declaration of war contained no basis for the decision. It was later stated that the reasons were allegations of Nazism being advocated within the Verein, and that the “evidence” to prove such things could not legally be posted on the Cyber Nations forums. This casus belli became one of the most controversial in Cyber Nations history. It contained several items which were of non-game-related private matters of Norden Verein members. Furthermore, almost all of the information was outdated and the members it ousted had already been expelled from the alliance. The Phoenix Federation, though, would not back down from the claims that this was in fact concrete proof and enough to warrant Norden Verein’s destruction, as the public outcry against the war was minimized due to the fallout of the Autumn Crisis. It was later stated by an individual involved in the decision to destroy Norden Verein that “the reason NoV ended up in a war, was because a lot of people just wanted them dead. The ‘Nazi CB’ was just a poor excuse to get what they wanted, nothing else.” In “Fall Helsing”, the Norden Verein attempted to marshal resistance to the force arrayed against them. With the few allies who remained by their side in a final act of loyalty, the Verein was slowly picked apart by the overwhelming odds. Even a few League of the Right members – many of whom once harboured a strong hatred of Kaiser Martens's creation – joined in to fight against TPF and its allies. As the war waged on and as the Verein’s ability to fight waned, LSF nations surged out of peace mode to assist the coalition against it. During the course of the war, several government members, including the Kaiser, fell out of normal activity and members volunteered and were voted into power to negotiate a peace for their alliance. The war finally ended on August 15th with an instrument of surrender being agreed upon by a new interim government of Norden Verein and the TPF coalition. The terms were harsh, demanding the outright disbandment of Norden Verein and an ambiguous demand which stated that no member may join what was termed as any “White Nationalist/White Supremacist themed alliance”. This final term was a great insult to many members who knew the allegations against Norden Verein to be false and, as proven by the statement issued after the war's start, fabricated and manipulated for the purpose of creating the war. Nonetheless, peace had come to the members of Norden Verein, nations who now sought to find a new home in the world which had rejected them. Post-Helsing: The Foundation of Community The destruction of Norden Verein marked the end of an attempt to recreate Nordreich as a new home for its former members. Nordlanders found themselves with no meaningful options. Pockets of Nordlanders established themselves in new alliances across the game, some in former allies who had stood by Norden Verein until the end. Still, all had the shared vision of a Nordreich resurrection, or at the very least, unity among the old compatriots. On October 13th, 2008, the Nordreich Community Forums were established to celebrate the second anniversary of the alliance’s creation. At this time, most divisions which resulted from the Fall had been overcome and the community found itself once again united, albeit not in Cyber Nations. The Community Forums united the older members with new ones who joined Nordreich in other online games, notably Galava, in which the alliance had achieved significant success. Despite this, many still spoke about returning one day to Cyber Nations under the only banner which had united all of them before. In Cyber Nations, times changed as these talks went on. The power structure which had worked against and destroyed first Nordreich, and then Norden Verein found itself beset by a mob of other alliances they had wronged in the past. In this atmosphere, several former Nordreichers operated to create an environment which would tolerate the existence of their home by winning new friends and dispelling the rumors of the past. Finally, in May 2009, the time came. May 2009: Reunion The Karma War presented the perfect chance for Nordreich to return to Cyber Nations. Already, other previously defunct alliances had reestablished themselves as their former oppressors were removed from their position of power. The community already reunited and mobilized for any possible return, and senior members of the alliance drafted a Charter reminiscent of the Triumvirate period of Nordreich, and announced their presence to the world. The Reunion which had been discussed since late 2007 had become a reality. On May 6th, 2009 the reestablished Nordreich was publicly declared. Public opinion was divided; many believed that in this new era Nordreich should be allowed to exist despite the past. Others, primarily those who had lived through the many conflicts between Nordreich and the Left, stated that it was a mistake to tolerate the presence of what once was such a destructive force to the Cyberverse. Nevertheless, most opposition was silenced by the repeated belief that in this new era, Nordreich would never be as strong as it used to be and thus, could easily be tamed if the time should come. This belief, coupled with a strong government eager to establish good foreign relations, and a defensive pact with the Norden Verein's old allies at Nueva Vida, secured the alliance’s welfare within a week of its reestablishment. May 2009 – August 2009: The Kingzog Era The reformed Nordreich was quick to seize upon opportunity to reestablish themselves as a legitimate power. On May 15th, the Lone Star Republic (LSR) merged into the alliance; almost all of its membership had been in Nordreich and Norden Verein at some point and were eager to rejoin their homeland. This union pushed Nordreich past 1,000,000 nation strength a mere week after its reformation, a figure which continued to climb as more and more Nordlanders heeded the call to return home. To better lead the larger alliance, Volksführer Kingzog was crowned as the first Kaiser of the new Nordreich. The move was applauded by a majority of the public who knew Kingzog as a strong leader and a former member of the Vox Populi movement. As one of his first declarations, Kaiser Kingzog successfully underlined one of the new Nordreich’s top priorities by ousting agitators seeking to create new conflict between his alliance and the Cyber Nations Left. Repeating that Nordreich did not seek to repeat the conflicts of the past, the Kaiser exclaimed, “Welcome to the brave new world.” A series of reforms followed which demonstrated this new era of Nordland. Charter changes created a partially elected Althing council to advise the government, a sharp shift from the entirely autocratic model used by all Nordland alliances previously. The raiding of nonaligned nations for technology, a long-enjoyed exercise of Nordlanders, was abolished due to changing times and standards. In a speech celebrating the Nordreich’s first 30 days back as an alliance, Kaiser Kingzog reminded the world and his citizens that all former members of Nordreich were “anxiously watching events as they unfold with regard to NoR and its future.” After one month, the Reich had grown to almost 100 members and nearly 1.5 million strength. In early July, the Nordreich held its first democratic election for the Althing council. In addition, the Reich was admitted into the Black Team economic treaty, NOIR. This was a major step for foreign affairs, and although it was stated that the admitting vote had been controversial and not unanimous, it was a step forward for Nordreich foreign affairs. Two more political milestones occurred in mid-July. The first involved The Sasori Initiative (TSI), a protectorate of the Phoenix Federation, appealing to Nordreich for protection; TPF had been severely weakened in the Karma War and had not yet surrendered to the coalition against them. Instead of depriving their former foe of a foreign tie, Nordreich approached TPF and agreed to cooperate in the protection of the alliance until they could assume full responsibility at the conclusion of the war. This announcement of two former enemies cooperating was greeted as proof of post-Karma optimism in the political atmosphere of Planet Bob. In addition, Nordreich annexed the Magna Europa alliance and welcomed a whole new community into the Nordreich family. This move set the Reich on a course to pass 100 members and 2 million strength on July 19th. The latter was of course the strength of the old Nordreich before it fell, and was the most important achievement to reach for many members. As Nordreich continued to grow, so did discussions over what path the alliance should embark upon. Debates ranged over how powerful the Kaiser should be, how much power should be in the hands of the people, and other important aspects of running Nordreich. On July 24th, Kaiser Kingzog resigned from his position, claiming that he was no longer interested in holding the Kaisership. No successor was appointed immediately, and for a time Nordreich was ruled by the Triumvirate, just as it was upon its formation in October 2006. This concludes the Nordland Saga and the completed history of Nordreich and its people as of August 2009. As the community marches forward and grows, so will this account. Author: Striderwannabe Special thanks to Vinzent Zeppelin for his contribution to “Early Movements” and “Reunion Discussions”. This work was made possible by several of Nordland’s citizens, both past and present, and their invaluable input and critique. Category:Alliance histories Category:Nordreich Category:Norden Verein Category:Nordreich Blood